BLOOMSBURG, Pa. — The ESU baseball team bounced back with two wins at Bloomsburg, getting contributions up and down the lineup and lockdown pitching out of the bullpen.
BATTING NOTABLES
- Walker Zampella went 4-6 on the day, driving in two RBI and scoring four runs himself. He homered in the first game, giving him home runs in consecutive games for his third of the season.
- Parker Frey delivered with an extra base hit in each game, going 2-5 on the day. His three-RBI double in the second game would give ESU an early lead, and he'd come across the plate later for an insurance run as well.
- Braydon Hubbard gave the Bloomsburg pitching staff trouble all day, especially in the first game. He got on base four times today, doing most of his damage with a two-run home run in the first game.
- Easton Albert has continued to string together productive at-bats, reinforcing the decision to move him up in the lineup. Batting second today, Albert opened the scoring on the day for ESU with a two-run single, going 2-4 in game one, and drew two walks and scored once in the second game.
- Zander Condeelis provided consistency at the end of the lineup for ESU, reaching base four times in the first game and scoring the one time he reached in game two. He went 2-2 with a pair of walks and scored three times in the first half of the doubleheader.
PITCHING NOTABLES
- Ryan Dewees picked up the win in game one for ESU, showcasing his usual stuff with eight strikeouts. The Huskies scored six runs while he was on the mound, but only three of them were earned.
- Cole Dymek pitched the final two innings to record the save, his first of the year. He struck out one and didn't allow a hit.
- Caden Leonard came through out of the bullpen with four innings to hold the Huskies at bay in game two, getting his first win of the season. He didn't allow a run in his final three innings, finishing with two strikeouts.
GAME ONE
- A three-run second inning for ESU broke the scoreless tie and put ESU well out in front early in the game. Jackson Rutecki got the scoring started with a sacrifice fly, scoring Troy Davis, who started the inning with a double. Zander Condeelis and Braydon Hubbard continued the inning, reaching on a single and a double, respectively. With two runners in scoring position, Easton Albert knocked a single to right field, bringing both home as Hubbard raced around third base to beat the throw home.
- Ryan Dewees mowed down the Bloomsburg lineup in the Huskies' first time through. After a groundout in his first batter faced, he struck out the next five Huskies to get through a scoreless first two innings.
- Walker Zampella stayed hot at the plate, hitting a home run in his second consecutive game. He opened the third inning with a high fly ball to left center field, giving ESU a 4-0 lead.
- The Huskies would get on the board with a two-run third inning, but ESU got the runs right back in the top of the fourth. After Matthew Marsten walked Condeelis in his first batter faced, coming in for Brandon Wozniak, Hubbard turned on a pitch, sending a no-doubt home run over the left field wall to put ESU up 6-2. Dewees would strike out the first two batters of the bottom of the fourth and retire the third on a 5-3 groundout, preserving the four-run lead heading into the final three innings.
- ESU added an insurance run in the top of the fifth, capitalizing on defensive miscues created by its baserunning. With two outs, Condeelis singled through the left side in a full count. He then stole second base and made it to third on a throwing error, as Hubbard drew a four-pitch walk. During the next at-bat, advanced to second without a throw, as the catcher tried to pick off Condeelis leaving third base early. The throw went into the outfield, allowing Condeelis to score safely.
- Bloomsburg wouldn't go away easily, scoring four in the bottom of the fifth. With Jace Jarmon and Judah Miller on base, Grant Russo doubled to left field to bring home both for the first two runs. Matt Freda drove in Russo with a single up the middle, then Dylan Hirsh was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Dewees got a double play ball, but a throwing error allowed Bloomsburg to add one more before the inning was over.
- Now with a one-run lead, ESU looked to rebuild some of its advantage in the top of the sixth. Zampella reached base with a two-out single to left center field, and Frey doubled to put both in scoring position. With Davis up to bat, Zampella was able to score off a passed ball, making it 8-6 in favor of the Warriors.
- Cole Dymek took over the final two innings on the mound for the Warriors, preserving the two-run lead. He worked a clean sixth inning, striking out his first batter, then forcing two groundouts. In the Huskies' last chance, he worked around two walks for a scoreless seventh inning.
GAME TWO
- Bloomsburg got through against ESU's starter Ethan Woods early, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. Russo and Freda started the game with two singles, and the Huskies had loaded bases two batters later with one out. Justin Weaver drove a ball into the right-center field gap, scoring two. The relay from Troy Davis to Zampella to Reilly got home in time to beat Bloomsburg's third base-runner, limiting the damage to two runs.
- The Warriors would get on the board and take the lead with a big top of the third, headlined by Parker Frey's three-run double. Before Frey came up to bat, ESU loaded the bases and scored a run off four walks. Condeelis, Hubbard, and Albert drew three-consecutive full-count walks. After Bloomsburg got its first out, Zampella was hit in the first pitch of his at-bat, scoring a run. Frey was up to bat next, sending a 3-1 pitch off the wall in right-center field, clearing the bases and putting ESU up 4-2.
- Woods' day would be done after allowing the first two Huskies to reach base in the bottom of the third, as Cade Davis would be the first pitcher out of the bullpen for the Warriors. Bloomsburg got one run back after Casey O'Brien singled to score Drew Balestrini. In the bottom of the fourth with Caden Leonard now pitching, Dylan Hirsh would tie the game, hitting an RBI single that brought Russo home after a leadoff single. Leonard ran into bases loaded with two outs, but snared a ground ball hit up the middle by O'Brien and made the play to first to get out of the inning.
- Now tied, the Warriors got right back to work in the top of the fifth. Zampella started the inning with a single into left field. Davis hit a bouncer towards second base, but Freda was unable to field it cleanly, allowing him to reach and Zampella to advance. A second error would hurt the Huskies in the inning, as in a bases-loaded count to Reilly, Zampella took off towards third base. After a called fourth ball, Hirsh, Bloomsburg's catcher, still threw down to third base. The throw went into the outfield, allowing Zampella to score for the go-ahead run.
- The Warriors got an insurance run in the top of the seventh, giving Leonard an extra bit of run support to secure the win. After Frey was walked and Davis was hit by a pitch, they both moved up a base after a wild pitch. With one out, Ryan Manning laid down a bunt between the pitcher and first baseman, forcing the pitcher to make the play at first as Frey crossed the plate.
- Leonard settled in on the mound, only allowing two hits over the final three innings, finishing with two strikeouts in four full innings for his first win of the season.
UP NEXT
The Warriors close out the series against the Huskies tomorrow at Creekview Park. Because of rain in the forecast later in the day, the doubleheader will now begin at 11 a.m.
